TOURISM >Turkey aims to be health tourism hub

Turkey aims to become a second Dubai in terms of special health services designed to target health tourism, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, thermal spa facilities, care facilities for the elderly and holiday villages.

The creation of special health zones and healing centers in Turkey is underway and drawing the attention of foreign investors, Dursun Aydın, head of the Health Tourism Department of the Turkish Ministry of Health, told Anatolia News Agency. With the new legal code, the ministry plans to develop health tourism and create a model concept for the rest of the health sector in the region, Aydın said. In achieving this goal, the ministry also plans to improve the inflow of foreign investment, increase employment, bring in skilled foreign healthcare workers, speed up the use of medical technology and encourage the production of services and investments, he added.

Dubai and Iran have special heath zones and healing centers, but the Iranian health zone is currently still in the project phase, Aydın said. Oman, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico are also planning to set up special health zones.

The announcement of management firms for Turkey’s health zones will be made in December, and investment, building and zoning operations will begin next year, Aydın said.